Implement for draftsmen



Feb. 1o, -.1925. 1,525,932

` E. GRUNsTElN IMPLEMENT FOR DRAFTSMEN Filed April 18. 1921 j REI 5 Patented Feb. i0, i925.

STATES EUGENE GRUNSTEN, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

IMPLEMENT FOR DRAFTSMEN.

Application filed April 18, 1921.

T 0 all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, EUGENE GRUNsTnIN, a citizen of the United States, and resident of New York city, in the county of Bronx and State of hl ew York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in lmplements for Draftsmen, of which the following is a specification.

My `present invention relates to implements for use by draftsmen, and more particularly to auxiliary devices for removing thumb-tacks, pointing pencils, erasing, cutting paper, and the like.

tis an object of the invention to provide a simple, compact, and inexpensive device which may be employed for removing thumb-tacks,n for erasing, for pointing pencils, and for cutting paper; in brief a single appliance to serve for performing substantially all of the various mechanical operations that a draftsman is called upon to perform in the course of his work, other than the physical process of drawing lines upon the paper, although it will be understood that constructions involving combinations of less than all of said elements will be embraced in the scope of my invention.

According to one feature of the invention, I have provided an improved abrasive holder for use in pointing pencils, including retaining means at the opposite ends of the holder for preventing the abrasive mate,- rial from falling out, which means sha-ll yerl permit ready removal of the abrasive, the retaining` means embodying parts extending transversely of the active surface of the abrasive to keep the blackened face thereof out of contact with any fiat surface upon which the device may be laid.

According to another feature of the invention, there is adjustably secured at one end of the abrasive holder a plate which in one position will cover the abrasive and which in another position will extend outwardly and serve as a handle by which the abrasive holder may be grasped for use.

According to another feature, the plate when in the handle position may serve Vas a paper cutter and is preferably provided with a. sharpened edge for this purpose.

According to another feature, the combined cover and handle for the abrasive holder is pivoted with respect to the base and the pivot element serves as a stop for the abrasive sheets.

According to another feature, the abra- Serial No. 462,366.

sive holder is open at one end, through which the abrasive sheets are inserted and a removable stopper is provided and so shaped as to wedge the abrasive sheets downwardly in the holder.

According to another feature, the stopper is made of rubber t0 serve as an eraser, the abrasive holder serving as a rigid eraser handle.

According to another feature of the invention, a sheet-metal thumb-tack puller is retained in place aga-inst one face of the abrasive holder by the pivot element referred to and the forked end of said thumbtack puller serves as an index inger rest in the use of the eraser.

According to another feature, the thumbtack puller has prongs, the adjacent sides of which diverge outwardly toward the pointed ends, said sides being sharpened or beveled. Y

Other objects and features will be in part obvious and in part pointed out hereinafter.

In the accompanying drawings in which is shown one or more of various possible embodiments of the several features of this invention,

Figure 1 is a side view of my implement in close-d position,

Fig. 2 is a side view thereof showing the setting for withdrawing the thumb-tack,

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary plan of the thumbtack puller,

F ig. 4 is a face view showing substantially the setting for pointing pencils or for cutting, and

Fig. 5 is a view in longitudinal cross-section of the appliance in closed position.

Referring now to the drawings I have shown a holder for abrasive, preferably sandpaper to be used in pointing pencils. This holder comprises a rectangular base element l, an upstanding rear ledge 2, transverse stra-ps 3 and 4 extending integrally from the opposite ends of the upstanding ledge, transversely toward the front of the holder and downwardly as at 5, being welded or otherwise secured to the forward edge of the base. Integral with the base l and at one end thereof is an end wall 6 which serves to close one end of the holder. lt will thus be seen that I have provided a casing member which is open for the entire length between the straps 3 and 4, so that sheets of abrasive, such as sandpaper T of a length greater than the distance Detween the straps, may be maintained byV said straps against undesired withdrawal away from the base. From another point of view, it will be seen that the holder casing constitutes a receptacle cut. away for a substantial part of its@ top between the transverse parts of the straps 3 stantial part of one side-between the front tongues 5 of the straps. lt is to be Vunderstood that the holder may be formed from a blank, or of non-sheet material.

Preferably cover means provided for completely enclosingfthe sandpaper-or the abrasive wlieirnot in use. This cover means preferably comprises a blade-lile-plate 8 pivoted at one of the straps 3 preferably by the use of--a pin 9 extending transversely through the .-plate, through the strap and into the base plate. rlhe cover plate is of a length substantially equal to that of the holder and Vpreferably has a downwardly extending ledge or flange l integral therewith extending from near the free end to a terminal shoulder l1 iii advance of the pivot pinL vWhen the cover is moved to open position, it will be seen that the terminal shoulder 1l may be brought into contact with the edge l2 of the holder member' and will thus be limited against movement past the position of substantial alinement with the holder. lt will be seen that-the plate in this position serves as a convenient handle for holding the device while reciprocating the pencil point'across the sandpaper for pointing. 'When the sandpaper is not in use, the blade-like combined cover and handle is rotated about the pivot to the closed position shown in Figs. l and in which the I C n depending ledge 10 comes into contact at its forward end with the strap member 5 therei by limiting movement of the cover member beyond closed position.

It will be seen that the sandpaper holder VVmember thus far described is closed at one end as at 13 and is open at the strap end 14. By this means the sandpaper may be inserted endwise through the strap 4 until the advance end passes under the edge of strap 3 and is stopped by pin 9. A stopper l5 is preferably used for closing the opening between the strap land the base l after the sandpaper has been inserted. The stopper is preferably of resilient material to impart a yielding iressuie upon the end of the abrasive, thereby preventing looseness thereof without injury thereto. rllhis stopper is preferably a rubber eraser stub of slightly greater thickness than the distance between the base and the strap and of a width equal to the distance between the sides of the strap. rlhe eraser stub, it will be understood, would be forced into the opening and by reason of its elasticity would be frictionally held therein. The inner end 1G of the eraser is preferably formed at an and t and for a sub-V oblique angle to the top and bottom, so that it will slope from the top toward the adjacent end of the holder. As a consequence, as indicated in Fig. 5, as the rubber eraser is inserted and pressed inwardly, it will contact the upper of the sandpaper sheets only and will exert a downward clamping action on the end of the sheet, thus; firmly securing the same and all the underlying sheets in position.V The eraser element is preferably trapezoidal in cross-section as shown, one side l? corresponding to the usual pointed end provided on erasers. VVPreferably these erasers would be kept in stoel; by Stationers and sold in desired lots to draftsmen. lt will be understoodthat the stubs may be of parallelepipedonal form, although the specilic: shape shown is preferred.

Preferably the holder has a notch 33 at theeiaser end, into which a sharp instrumentmay be inserted to assist in the removal of a worn rubber stub.

.Preferably the pin 9 above described, tapers downwardly toward the base as shown atglS so that this-pin also will contact only the uppermost sheet of sandpaper and will, therefore, exert a downward pressure similar to that exerted by the rubber stopper. As a consequence the sandpaper sheet is firmly held in position, being wedged down-` wardly at both ends, so that no shifting takes place as the pencil point is passed thereon. To remove the upper sheet of sandpaper when blackened, it need merely be flexed by grasping the free edge with the YYthumb and drawingupwardly, the ends being thus withdrawn from under the straps. rlhe eraser stub should then be pushed inwardly to more firmly engage the upper remaining sandpaper sheet. rl`he paper could also be removed by drawing out the stopper,discarding the sheet and reinserting the stopper. Obviously, the clamping action will take place effectively by reason Vof the sloping construction, regardless whether the holder is completely filled with abrasive sheets or whether a lesser total thickness of sheets is employed.

Preferably one edge of the combined closure and handle plate S would be sharpened as at l5) to form the cutting edge of a paper cutter; and a slit would be formed between the ledge 10 and the plate S, eX- tending for a. substantial distance from the free end 2l toward the shoulder ll, said slit allowing the cut paper to pass the ledge and the ledge serving to maintain the paper against the plane of the knife. Although l prefer to provide the blade with a finger notch 22 to facilitate opening and closing movement, it will be seen that the free end 2l of the lateral extension could be used for this purpose.

The pin 9 preferably has head 23 at its lower end for pivot-ally mount-ing in place thereon a combined thumb-tack puller and finger-rest 24. The member 24 preferably is formed of sheet metal and is arched as shown, the spring-metal action thereof urging the free end into firm contact with the base to preventI undesired shifting when not in use. The member 24 is preferably provided with a forked end 26 adjacent the eraser end to provide an effective purchase for the index linger when the eraser is to be used. The forked end above set forth has a pair of prongs 27, the adjacent sides 28 and 29 of which diverge outwardly near their free ends which curve toward the prong points 3() and 3l. The prongs are, moreover, preferably sharpened or beveled as at 32 at their curved ends. It will thus be seen that regardless how tightly the thumb-tack may be pressed in position, it will be possible to pry below the head thereof by the sharp edge 32 and a firm grip below the thumb-tack head may be secured thereafter. The holder member serves as a rigid handle and provides substantial leverage in the process of removing the thumb-tack. As heretofore pointed out, the thumb-tack puller prongs are frictionally held against a face of the holder when the puller is not in use and the points are thus adaquately guarded when in the withdrawn position shown in Figs. 1 and 5, in which position the forked end serves as a finger rest for use in the erasing operation. 1twill be seen that 1 have provided an inexpensive, compact, combined abrasive holder, paper cutter, thumb-tack puller, and eraser for use by draftsmen. In the closed position shown in Figs. l and 5, the device can obviously be carried in the pocket without any danger of injury by the thumb-tack puller or the knife blade and without danger of smutting by blackened sandpaper. In use, the closed casing forms an adequate rigid handle by which the eraser may be operated and the outwardly bowed fork-shaped end effects a satisfactory purchase for the index finger in erasing. lVhen it is desired to sharpen a pencil the cover is merely opened until the stop sho-ulder 1l is arrested by the holder at 12 whereupon the cover serves as a handle and the pencil pointing operation can be performed. lf the device is laid in the thus-opened position upon its bottom, the sandpaper is available for use as in an ordinary sandpaper holder. f, on the other hand, the device should be laid in upside-down position with ythe thumb-tack element on top, then the strap member 4L and the open blade S will serve as spacers to prevent contact between the blackened sandpaper and the surface upon which it is laid so that all danger of smuttng is effectively avoided.

Wvhen the device is inverted from the position just set forth, the sharpened edge of the combined cover and handle member can be used as a paper cutter or knife in an obvious manner. It will be seen that the severed part of the paper will` readily pass through the. slit 2O between the blade and the tip-standing ledge and the said ledge will serve to keep the port-ion of the paper adjacent the part about to be cut, in contact with the surface of the cutting blade.

For removing thumb-tacks, the main portion of the holder will serve as the handle and the thumb-tack pulling blade 24 will be drawn to the position shown in Fig. 2.

Although 1 preferably combine the elements as above set forth, itl will be understood that the cover for the sandpaper holder may be used to serve as a cover or handle without having a knife edge and that the stopper l5 may be an element other than an eraser. It will also be understood that the apparatus constructed for erasing purposes, the apparatus constructed for paper-cutting purposes, the apparatus constructed for tack-pulling purposes, and the apparatus constructed for pencil-sharpening purposes, each has features of novelty independently of the other features and may be constructed in a wide variety of different ways. A file, for instance, might replace the sandpaper.

It will thus be seen that there is herein described apparatus in which the several features of this invention are embodied, and which apparatus in its action attains the various objects of the invention and is well suited to meet the requirements oi practical use.

As many changes could be made in the above construction and many apparently widely different embodiments of this invention could be made without departing from the scope th ereof, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having thus described my invention what I claim `as new and desire to secure by Lets ters-Patent of the United States is l. A sandpaper holder comprising in combination, a base, a strap for encircling said sandpaper near' one end thereof, end stop means to prevent shifting of said sandpaper endwise of the base, a second strap for encircling the other end of the sandpaper to prevent separation of the latter end from the base, and end stop means at the lat-ter end, whereby the sandpaper will be firmly held upon the base and whereby a substantially free expanse for pencil sharpening will be left between the two straps, and whereby the straps will prevent smutting by Contact with the blackened sandpaper.

2. A sandpaper holder comprising in combination, a base, end stop and strap means coacting with one end of the sandpaper', a strap ooacting with the other end of the sandpaper, there being an open space between said strap and said base, to permit endwise insertion of the sandpaper through said space. to bring the advance end thereof under the` first strap and into Contact with said stop, and stop means adapted to be inserted between the base and said second strap to prevent falling out ot' said sandpaper.

3. The combination set forth in claim Q in which the insertable end stop means has a sloping tace contacting` the upper sheet of the sand saper and tending to Clamp the same. downwardly regardless et the thickness ot the sandpaper.

4. A sandpaper holder comprising in combination, a base, a strap at one end, means connecting the strap and the base and sloping outwardly from the strap' toward the adjacent end ot' the base, a strap near the opposite end ot the base, and removable stop means interposed between said latter strap and said base and sloping outwardly from the. top toward the adjacent end ot the base, whereby one o-r more sheets oit sandpaper may be inserted through the space between the second strap and base and be brought into contact with the iirst tapering stop, whereupon the second tapering stop may be inserted to exert a clamping action upon the upper sheet of the sand-paper regardless ot the` thickness ot the sheets ot sandpaper.

5. A. sandpaper holder comprising in combination, a base, means at one end thereof to retain one end of a plurality of sheets of sandpaper against outward displacement from the base, a strap rigid with the base at the other end the-reet` and spaced therefrom to provide an opening through which sandpaper may be inserted, and a. removable rubber stopper to be retained between said strap and said base with the inner end of said stopper in contact with the adjacent edge of the sandpaper.

5. The combination set 'forth in claim 5 in which the end ot the stopper inserted under the strap slopes toward the adjacent end oi the base, whereby the stopper will perform a wedging action upon the upper sheet of sandpaper, regardless of the combined thickness of the sheets.

7. As an article of manufacture, a combined eraser and stopper member for retaining sandpaper in a holder, said member comprising a piece of rubber trapezoidal in cross-section, one of the. inclined faces serving to exerta. clamping action upon the sandpaper, and the other serving as the usual pointed eraser edge.

S. As an article of manufacture, an eraser holder comprising in combination, a rectangular base, a rside piece inte-gral therewith, and straps extendingvacross the width of said base and spaced therefrom and secured at their tree ends to the edge of said base opposite said side piece, stopmeans permanently connecting one of said straps with the base plate, there being a free opening between the opposite strap and the base platefor insertion otl a removable stop after the sandpaper sheets have been passed therethrough.

9. A sandpaper holder comprising in combination, a base, strap means near opposite ends thereot tor retaining the ends ot ythe sandpaper in place, a cover member pivetally secured to one of said strap means and of a length suiicient to extend over the other said, strap means when rotated to enclose said sandpaper.

10. A. sandpaper holder comprising in combination, a base, strap means near opposite ends thereof for retaining the ends of the sandpaper in place, a cover member piveta-l 1y secured to one of said Vstrap means and. et a length sutlicient to extend over the other said strap means when rotated to enclose said sandpaper, said holder and cover therefor having cooperating Stops to prevent movement ot the cover beyond closing position.

11. A sandpaper holder comprising in combination, a generally rectangular box ot substantial length and small height closed at one end and having a removable stopper at the other and open end to allow access to the sandpaper, and a closure member pivoted near one end of the box and having an extension at one side, whereby upon bringing theelosure into operative position, the main length thereof will close the top ot the sandpaper and the extension will close the open side of the box, whereby the extension will also serve as a stop to prevent movement of the 'cover beyond closed position.

l2. A sandpaper holder comprising in combination, a base, strap means rigid therewith and extending thereacross at opposite ends thereoic for retaining sandpaper therebetween, a combined cover for said sandpaper when not in use and handle for the same when used, comprising a plate parallel to the base and pivoted to one of said straps, stop means tor limiting said plate when in open position to extend substantially in alinement with the length of said base, and stop means for limiting said plate against movement beyond closed position.

13. An abrasive holder comprising in combination. a base, a strap rigid therewith at one end thereof, stop means connecting said strap and said base, a cover plate extending parallel to said base and pivoted to said strap, said cover plate having a ledge extending downwardly from one edge thereof, one end of said ledge serving as a stop to pre-vent movement of said plate past the position of substantial alinement with sanL base, whereby said plate will serve as a convenient handle when the sandpaper is being used, means near the opposite end of said base to extend over the sandpaper for retaining the same in place, said ycover plate being of a length sufficient to overlap said latter means when the cover plate is pivoted to closed position for covering the abrasive, said ledge serving as a stop to prevent movement of the cover plate beyond closed position.

14, An abrasive holder comprising in combination, a rectangular base, means near opposite ends thereof Jfor retaining abrasive sheets in place thereon, said means extending above the plane of the abrasive Jface in use, said holder having a cover plate thereon, adapted to cover the free expanse of the sheets, connected to the base by means of a pivot pin extending transversely7 through the cover plate, the retaining means, and into the base, said pin being tapered and serving as a stop for the abrasive sheets and acting to wedge the upper sheet thereotl downwardly.

15. A combined sandpaper holder and eraser comprising in combination, a rectangular base, an upstanding side, sandpaper retaining straps rigid therewith connecting the opposite ends of the upstanding side to the forward edge of the base, a combined cover and handle parallel to said base near one of said straps, stop means to retain said combined element substantially in alinement with said base to serve as a handle, stop means to retain said combined member against movement beyond closed position when it is employed to cover the sandpaper, a tapered pin for pivo-tally securing said combined member to said base, whereby one or more sheets of sandpaper may be inserted through the open strap and passed along the base into contact with said tapered pin, so that said pin will serve to wedge said papers downwardly at the corresponding end, and an eraser stop having a downwardly sloping end for insertion into the space between the other strap and the base to wedge the opposite end of the sandpaper downwardly.

16. An implement for draftsmen comprising in combination, a base member, Sheets of sandpaper superposed thereon, means near the ends of said sheets to retain said sandpaper against separation vfrom said base plate, an eraser secured near one end of said base and contacting the sandpaper at the adjacent end to prevent falling out thereof, a combined cover and handle assorciated with said base member and arranged to overlap said sandpaper for closing the same or to extend beyond the length of said sandpaper to serve as a handle, stop means to retain said combined member in alinement with said base member when serving as a handle, stop means to retain said combined member against movement beyond closed position when serving as a cover, one edge of said combined member being sharpened to serve as a cutter.

Signed at New York in the county of New York and State of New York this 11th day of April A. D. 1921.

EUGENE GRUNSTEIN. 

